Chapter Nine: Research & Revelations
Asuka opened her eyes and took in the clear blue of her surrounding environment while allowing herself to drift along serenely, until she had to surface for air. She still wasn't able to hold her breath for very long, but she was improving.
A glance around the pool area told her that Julian wasn't here yet. She would most likely have to practise alone. Smiling in satisfaction, as the practise would give her an advantage; she dived back under the water heading for the side.
She scowled as she surfaced, as a familiar voice reached her ears:
"I know I said that black suits you Red, but do you ever wear another colour?"
Julian's question was similar to Morgan's, which turned her scowl into a smile.
"Actually Julian, no, not very often," She poked him in the stomach as she sat next to him, "What kept you?"
"I was writing a report for my sergeant and ended up running late. You should understand how bureaucracy slows things down, Captain."
"Good thing you got here then, otherwise I would have had to tolerate practising alone," Asuka scratched her shoulder, "At least you didn't have to rely on your sister to remind you this time."
"How close are you to your target then?" He asked after a moment's silence.
"8 lengths."
"I'm down to 11, so hopefully that will be 6 after today. What are you aiming for?"
"Four or less," She slid into the pool after him, "Hopefully."
"Well, let's get started then," He gently rubbed her back as he gestured down the pool with his other hand, "Since I was delayed, I'll need to warm up, so ladies first."
She took his hand from her back and flicked his shoulder:
"Try not to stare too much." She cautioned before ducking under the water and swimming away.
"I wouldn't see anything new." Julian muttered to himself, before starting to swim after her.
"Ok, all done!" Dr Young's voice could be heard before the bed started to slide out of the circular CT scanner. Once there was enough room, Alicia sat up and stretched her arms over her head, causing her shoulders to crack.
"The scans will be ready in a few minutes," He informed her, "Although I should inform you that I could not see anything abnormal while it was running."
"Any ideas then Doctor?"
"Just one: based on the information you provided, it seems to me that you could be overexerting yourself. You said that you spend a lot of time in the gyms, or on the running track, so maybe you just need to scale back a little?"
"Maybe. I'm in decent shape though Doctor, and I would like to stay that way."
"From your physical results, that should be straightforward even if you cut out one of your sessions each week. You might be in great shape Alicia, but you are still human, and therefore have your limits."
A long tone sounded from the CT computer, causing Doctor Young to move towards it. As he studied the screen, a small frown crossed his face.
"You have an infolink, correct?"
"Yes."
"It looks like it was implanted correctly," He glanced at her medical file on a separate screen, "But now it seems to have moved slightly. It is very close to the vestibular system of your inner ear. As that controls your balance, the slight pressure that the device generates when used could be more pressure than your ears are used to handling."
"So that would cause my dizziness," Alicia realised, "What about the headaches though?"
"Yes, and those could be related to the extra pressure on your ear. Enough additional pressure over, say, a couple of days, could spread to your head via cranial nerves. I would like for you to return in a week, and I'll do another scan."
"Ok, should I book an appointment now?"
"Not yet. Wait until early next week if you please," He shook his head as he saved her results and appended them to her medical file, "I will have a better idea then of when the scanner will be available."
"Ok. Thanks Doc."
"You are welcome."
Alicia carried her jacket over her shoulder as she left the Infirmary, wondering if she had been overreacting as she headed for her dorm. She was hoping to read the file that Commander Trepe had given to her.
Lousy weather! Asuka shook her head in annoyance as she reached the Security Gates and placed her ID card over the reader, the one time I don't take a coat, and I experience Balamb's monsoon's!
She felt like the rain had soaked her right down to her bones, and she could feel herself shivering too. Logically, she knew that it was far from a monsoon, but since it only rained in the latter half of the year in Galbadia, and then not in such volume, it felt like a monsoon to her.
Wiping her arms and face down as much as she could before entering the main Hub of the Garden, Asuka was reminded of her hunger by her stomach growling, but decided that a shower would be a better first move.
However, she decided on a compromise as she passed the Cafeteria on the way to the dorms: she ordered a meal for herself, intending to collect it after a shower. She also knocked on Alicia's door as she passed, to check how her check-up had gone, and smiled as the door opened after a few seconds.
"Hi Asuka," Alicia smiled back, "You know you're supposed to dry yourself after a swim, don't you?"
"Very funny. How is your health then?" She leaned on the doorframe once it had slid closed.
"I'm fine thanks, just a few headaches which seem to be down to overexertion."
"Good to know. If you have to relax a little more, maybe I have a chance at closing the stamina gap between us, and winning a race for once."
"Go ahead and try, but you'll be able to beat me in swimming races no matter what happens."
"True. We can't be skilled at everything."
"It's about time we had some rain around here," Alicia looked out of the window, "It's been too hot recently."
"I like hot."
"Of course you do! You're from a country that is always hot, and contains the world's second largest desert."
Asuka shuddered again, drawing Alicia's concern.
"You're freezing!" Alicia pointed to the door, "Get out of here and shower before you catch a cold."
"All right, I'll see you later."
She left, not seeing Alicia pick up the Operation Fallback file, slip her shoes on, and head for the Commander's Office to inform them of her decision.
Feeling much warmer and comfortable after her shower, Asuka was finishing getting dressed when she heard a knock on her door.
"Just a minute!" She called, flipping her long hair out from under her dark blue t-shirt, before opening the door, and feeling a little shocked at seeing who was on the other side: someone she hadn't really spoken to in the last five years, unless she had to.
"May I come in, Miss Ikari?"
Not trusting herself to remain polite, she stood aside and allowed the brunette to enter her dorm.
"You've tidied up since I was last in here," She folded her blue coated arms across her chest, "I hope this isn't a bad time?"
"Not really, but could you please keep this brief?"
"Of course. I know we've not really seen eye-to-eye since…"
"Don't bring that up." Asuka interrupted.
"…but I would like to request your help with some training. More to the point, I need a sparring partner so that I can learn how to defend myself using this."
She reached behind her and withdrew the katana from the horizontal scabbard that she was carrying inside her waist sash, and held it vertically in her right hand, with her left hand positioned behind the blade, fingers pointing towards the tip.
"Squall bought it for me a couple of months ago, suggesting that I should learn how to use a close range weapon as well as long range," She explained, spinning the sword around her wrist, "And I've been learning the basics from Instructor Ives. She claims that you are one of her finest students."
Asuka pulled her gaze away from the grey blade, and blue leather wrapped handle with rayskin grip.
"No offense Instructor, but I've been using the katana for much longer than a couple of months. You wouldn't be a match for me at present."
"None taken, and that's my point. If I fight you as well as learning from her, I should become more proficient with a blade much quicker."
"Can I see that?"
The sword was placed in her outstretched hand, allowing the redhead to test the weight and balance.
"It's very well made," She passed it back, "Ok, I'll spar with you and go easy for the first few sessions if you answer one question."
"Go on."
"Why do you want to learn a short ranged weapon? Can't you just use your Sorceress powers?"
"No I can't because they have been getting stronger and stronger every time I practise! If they become any stronger, I'll be able to wipe half of Balamb off the map with a wave of my hand," She slid back her sleeve, indicating an Odine Bangle on her wrist, "Therefore, the sword was suggested."
"I see. Ok, I'll meet you at Training Room D tomorrow morning, around 1100?"
"I look forward to it, and thank you, since I know you don't really trust me."
"I trust you, especially after that incident, I'm just not sure if I like you. But, we're both professional enough to put personal issues aside for this, I'm sure."
She smiled slightly as the sword was spun around her guests' wrist, held backwards, and then re-sheathed behind her, all in one fluid motion.
"Yes we are. By the way, next time you see Miss Paige, ask her to let you read the Fallback file. It may be of interest to you, and your support would be appreciated."
Her hand hovered over the door switch, and a grin crossed her face:
"By the way, that was two questions, so now you have no choice but to be my sparring partner."
As Instructor Leonhart left the dorm Asuka considered how she was carrying it: almost horizontally behind her, threading the sheath through a sash around her waist.
An unusual method, but she didn't seem to have any trouble drawing it, so maybe it works for her.
The comment about the powers getting stronger worried Asuka, and briefly made her wonder if the Sorceress Resistance was right in insisting that the current Sorceress be Sealed away. However, Asuka believed that she wasn't a mad Sorceress, and shouldn't be treated as such unless she demonstrated that the power was affecting her mind. Her use of the Odine Bangle suggested that she was in control, for the time being.
That could be a costly judge of confidence, if I'm wrong. Asuka thought as she headed to the Cafeteria to collect her previously ordered food. As she paid for it and picked up her tray, she wondered what she had actually agreed to, and thought about how these sparring sessions could be fun, as Asuka outclassed most of the sword users in Garden. Instructor Ives was one of the three or four that she couldn't match.
Morgan added his latest book to the collection that was growing on his table in the Library, and then jotted down a couple of notes from the information he had previously read. Even with the vast range of books, as well as World Data Network access available at Balamb Garden, he was still having trouble finding information relating to those devices that they had submitted to Garden along with Squad Seven's recent mission report.
He had decided that they must have been assembled from equipment and components that could be bought almost anywhere, which made the purpose of them a mystery. Morgan had a theory or two, but he needed information to back up his thoughts, leading to his researching in the Library to try and determine if he was on to something.
I knew I should have kept one of them! He thought as he took a catalogue for an electronics shop from the shelves next to the computers.
He was relying on memory for the appearance of the devices, which meant that he was unsure if he had correctly identified any of the components. The fibre optic cable and the mini computer battery were easy enough to identify, as he had used them numerous times since joining Garden, but the other wiring and the cube centrepiece were not familiar to him.
In an effort to aid his search and memory, he had sketched out what he could remember of the device's appearance. The cube had been drawn as six squares in a cross shape, as well as a full cube, and he marked one of the squares with the shape of a wireless aerial socket as several scattered dots suddenly connected in his mind.
Damn! It's just a casing. There must be additional components inside it which I can't see or research, so this is pointless.
Deciding to see if he could get Analysis to relinquish one of the submitted devices back to him, or just waiting for their report if they refused, he replaced his accumulated books back on their shelves and pocketed his notes. He then moved over to the History Section, intending to continue his other research project concerning Sorceresses. He honestly believed that Instructor Leonhart wouldn't abuse her power as Adel had done, but he had been researching what little information was publically available to see how the power could affect those who inherited it.
Most of the information suggested that the nature and personality of the women who inherited the power was a factor in how the power affected them. His own experience however, coupled with Asuka's reassurance made him think that Instructor Leonhart truly wasn't a threat to the world.
However, the Sorceress Resistance clearly thought differently, as the recent news "interview" with one of their members: an unremarkable man with no apparent opinion of his own, and the graffiti on the outer walls of the Garden had shown.
As his eyes scanned the limited number of books available, he realised that none of the other Garden's had been hit by graffiti or threatened with attack, so maybe it was only Balamb Garden that was a target, as it was the home of the Leonharts.
Struck by a sudden desire to investigate, he left the Library and went looking for his team-mates. Alicia had come from Trabia Garden initially, and Asuka was Galbadian, so maybe they knew more about events at the other Gardens than he did.
"Targeting," He muttered feeling the tingle in his neck as his infolink microphone activated, "Asuka Ikari…dial."
He waited for a few seconds, until he heard a buzzing in his ear, indicating a connection:
"Captain, its Morgan. Can I talk to you for a few minutes please?"
[Feel free Morgan. I'm in my dorm.]
"Thank you, I'm on my way."
He knew which dorm was hers as each SeeD Squad had its own section of the Garden Mainframe containing member details, SeeD history, and dorm number.
"Captain?" He called as he knocked on the door to her room. Since she had said he could visit, he could safely go to the women's dorms without getting disciplined.
The door slid open to reveal her with her hair in a simple ponytail and with a cup in her hand.
"What did you want to talk about?" She was still being professional.
"It's the so called Sorceress Resistance," He noticed her coat on a hook next to the door as she moved back to her desk where he could see the remains of something with pastry, "I was wondering if they had attacked any of the other Gardens?"
"Not as far as I know, but why are you asking me? The Garden Newsletter should report things like that."
Good point. Morgan realised, as he hadn't thought about that.
"You're Galbadian, so I thought you might still know people at Galbadia Garden."
"I am, but I never went to Galbadia Garden. I started here when I applied for SeeD."
"Ok. Sorry to bother you then."
"Why are you asking?"
"That graffiti we saw on the way in," She nodded as she took a drink from her cup, "I was wondering if Balamb was the only Garden to be vandalised because this is where Mrs Leonhart lives?"
"I did wonder about that, but I don't know anything about what's happening at Galbadia Garden these days."
"OK, thank you Captain."
"What was the personal question that you wanted to ask me the other day?"
"Oh, right," He had to think for a minute, "On the way to the debriefing. I was wondering how you had a double surname, as not many people do."
"That is a personal question," She finally answered, "I'm adopted, as my birth parents and I didn't get on very well."
Morgan nodded and left when he realised that that was all she was going to tell him. Repeating his earlier actions, he dialled Alicia's infolink. Surprisingly, he heard the long tone that indicated her infolink was turned off, rather than on standby, as users rarely deactivated them. Morgan headed back into the dorms,
"Yes? Who is it?" Her voice called through the door.
"It's Morgan; can I talk to you Alicia?"
The door slid open, and she moved to the side with her usual grace. As she sat on her bed, Morgan had to focus on her face to keep his gaze from wandering to her long legs or firm stomach.
"I was wonder…" He suddenly realised how pale she looked, "Are you ok?"
"Yes thank you, I'm fine. What was it that you were wondering?"
"Do you still have any friends at Trabia Garden?"
"A few. Why do you want to know?"
"I assume you saw that graffiti at the gates?" She nodded, causing her hair to slide forwards, "I was wondering if any other Garden had been vandalised like that?"
"I don't know Morgan. To be honest, I've not spoke to my friends at Trabia for a few weeks now. Come to think of it, I'm surprised we've not seen it mentioned on the news, especially since the rain probably washed most of it away."
"The news services won't care, not since it became public knowledge that the Greatest Threat to the World lives here, even though her being a Sorceress doesn't mean we have another Adel living here."
"Headmaster Aoba wasn't fond of Sorceresses, which is probably why he released the news."
"Since you mentioned him, what did he do to upset you and the Captain so much?"
Alicia looked up, her face hard with pain and sorrow in her eyes, and looked as though she would just dismiss the question. To his surprise though, she gave him an answer:
"You'd best sit down Morgan. The answer to that question will take a while to explain, and change your perspective on a few things."
He sat on the desk chair that she had gestured to as she pulled her legs towards her and wrapped her arms around them. Again, Morgan had to concentrate on her face.
She does have a great body though.
"You must keep what I am going to say to yourself," Her voice brought him out of thoughts that she would probably slap him for, "That isn't negotiable. This is a secret known to around a dozen people on the whole planet, including Asuka and myself. If this became public knowledge, it would cause a lot of problems.
"All right. I swear that I won't repeat any of what you tell me to anyone."
Alicia smiled slightly before deeply sighing:
"It will be good to be able to talk to someone new about this. See that photo?"
Morgan picked up the only photo that was in her dorm from the corner of her desk. He recognised two of the people in it immediately.
"So that's the Captain, and that's you, but who are the other two?"
"The brunette is Rei Ayanami, and the silver haired girl is Sonnet Baji. The four of us were all SeeDs five years ago."
"What happened to them?" He replaced the photo as he listened to her sad voice.
"They were killed, here in Balamb Garden, by Aoba."
"Wait," he interrupted, "I do remember hearing about a few people dying in Balamb Garden about 5 years ago: an electrical fault caused a fire that killed 8 people?"
"That's the official story, but not the truth. The truth would have had far reaching consequences and opportunities, and for safety, was concealed from the public. I'm going to tell you most of the missing pieces from the incident five years ago."
"Ok. So what truly happened?"
"Have you read any of Esthar Science Monthly?"
Morgan shook his head, surprised by the change of subject.
"A recent report in that magazine mentioned that Esthar is close to developing working nanite machines that could be used as healing aids for soldiers, as they can grow a synthetic skin over any cuts, burns or even skin gouges."
"That would be useful until bandages or Cure magic could be used."
"It would be, but nanites have existed before that did a similar thing. The research in that article is based on something that Sorceress Adel had created when she ruled Esthar."
"That was nearly 30 years ago then?"
"Correct. Around then, Adel commissioned a special project, codenamed as Project 2501, and developed by Dr Odine. Somewhere along the line, the Anti Adel Resistance learned of this project, and liberated it from her control. Project 2501 was a prototype for a super cyborg, one that would look human, and answer to no one while only obeying Adel: her private assassin. This cyborg was 'made' by transplanting the brain and spinal cord of a dying girl into a specially made cyborg body, one that incorporated all of Esthar's technological developments, including a synthetic skin that was made by nanites operating within the body. If the cyborg body was damaged, the nanites would work to repair it, and this included regenerating damaged skin. These nanites gave the cyborg a human appearance similar to that of the young girl who had been the "donor"."
"And this worked?" Morgan was amazed.
"Yes. The girl thought that she was going to be a test recipient of an experimental cancer treatment, which was killing her. What she got was probably worse than dying, for a short time anyway."
"What happened?"
"From the start, one of the staff on the project was part of the Resistance. He set up some sort of back door in the programming of the cyborg that could turn off Adel's control and also restore her human memories as well as her cyborg ones. Don't ask me how that worked, as I barely understand computers."
"This was done several times before Adel disappeared from Esthar. After that the scientist destroyed all control devices for this cyborg and then restored all of her memories one final time."
"It took her a few years to adjust to what she had been changed into against her will, and to understand her human and cyborg memories, but since she still had her human appearance, albeit artificially aged a little when the cyborg body was assembled, she adjusted eventually. The scientist who had aided the Resistance then adopted her, registering her as an Orphan of the Sorceress War, which also helped her recovery."
"The cyborg lived with the scientist for some time after the War, and eventually realised that she no longer aged, probably because her body was no longer organic. After the Second Sorceress War, she learned of SeeD and applied, wishing to live her life by her own terms and choices."
"So she was a SeeD? And how does Aoba fit into all of this?"
"I'm getting to that," Alicia relaxed her arms, and shifted to a cross-legged position on her bed, "His family had been killed by Adel's super cyborg due to apparent Resistance involvement, which caused him to hate Sorceresses."
"He would have hardly been alone during those times."
"True, but he took it to extremes. He somehow learned of Project 2501, who was now a SeeD Cadet, and also managed to rebuild the control technology. In what he believed to be poetic justice, her planned to use her to kill then Instructor Leonhart, and then monitor whoever gained her power until he could kill her too and also every Sorceress after her, so that he could control them."
"That doesn't make sense. It would only mean that the target would keep changing as the power of a Sorceress is eternal. Only the holder changes."
"Very observant. But I doubt he had considered that. Roughly 5 years ago he completed the control technology and managed to take control of her a few times as tests. He used her to kill any people who had a link to Project 2501, even if they were the descendants of the original people. Once they were out of the way, he targeted the Instructor while she was here in Balamb Garden."
"So the 'accident' that is the official story was really this cyborg being used by Aoba?"
"Correct again. She killed a few people inside Garden but then met resistance in the Hub as she headed for the central lift. There were three SeeDs in her way, one of whom she killed before the control failed, something called counter intrusion programming, which gave the two other SeeDs an opening to kill her."
"A fascinating story. I always thought there was more to the events than the official story."
"You don't believe me?"
"It seems a bit far-fetched, but not impossible given technology now," He looked at the photo again, "So either Rei or Sonnet was this cyborg then?"
"Yep."
"Which one?"
"I'm not telling you that," Alicia shook her head; "I promised her that I wouldn't reveal her condition or identity to anyone new. I intend to take that promise into my next life. Consider it a personal mystery for you to solve."
She said the last part with a wink.
"So you knew before Aoba took control?"
"Yes, I found out after an accident in a battle near to Trabia Garden, and promised her that I would keep the secret," Alicia grimaced, "Morgan would you pass me those painkillers please?"
"Headache?" He passed over the tablets and a cup of water.
"Yes. I've had a few in the last couple of months, probably due to not drinking enough in this heat."
Morgan studied the photograph, as Alicia took the tablets, wondering which of the two deceased SeeD members had been the super cyborg.
"Sorry Morgan, but would you go somewhere else please?"
"Of course," He scrambled from the chair to the door, "And don't worry, I will not repeat what you have just told me to anyone."
"Thank you."
Morgan turned and left, allowing Alicia to lock her door and fall backwards onto her bed, with her hands behind her head. She slowly allowed her blue-grey eyes to close.
I hope these headaches pass soon.
She isn't here either! Asuka was getting frustrated by her lack of progress. For at least 20 minutes now she had been prowling around the Garden, looking for Instructor Leonhart. Her first port of call, her former Diplomatic Office, was locked and with curfew due to start in less than half an hour, she was starting to think that she wouldn't find her in time.
Since her secret had been revealed, and Asuka was convinced that Aoba had been the one to reveal it, she had been removed from the Diplomatic Office, and any other official work within Balamb Garden. A lot of people were concerned that if she became like Adel, she would do as Edea had done, and use a Garden as her base.
In truth Asuka wasn't sure what Instructor Leonhart did within Garden anymore. Her title of "Instructor" seemed to be a formality rather than a position.
I suppose it's better than being called "Sorceress Rinoa" though.
Asuka was diverted from her hunt by a vibration in her pocket.
"Hello?" She answered the mobile phone.
"Hello Asuka, its Ellone. I need to talk to you."
"Ok, no problem. Let me go back to my dorm and I'll…"
"Actually, I'm in Balamb Garden. Can you meet me in the Quad?"
"Of course. See you in a minute."
Asuka closed her phone and turned around, heading for the central lift, wondering if Ellone had finally decided to call in the favour that Asuka owed to her. She would have to find the Instructor tomorrow, unless another mission arose, which wasn't likely.
Once the lift reached the ground floor, she moved to the Quad as quickly as she could, and stood by the boarder railings, enjoying the warm evening breeze.
"Hello Asuka. Thank you for meeting me on such short notice." Ellone was stood a few feet away.
"How many times do I have to tell you that it isn't a problem Ellone? If you hadn't used that talent of yours to show me Sonnet's past, I don't know if I'd have ever been able to forgive myself for killing her."
"As a matter of fact, that is why I'm here. Do you remember last week that I told you I was having trouble sleeping?"
"Yes." Asuka observed that she still looked pale.
"I had dream-witnessed the epicentre of what looked a lot like a Lunar Cry," she paused at Asuka's shocked gasp, "And I've had other dreams since. I was advised to record what happens in them, so I started drawing what I could recall. Could you please take a look and tell me what you think?"
"You're asking the wrong person for artistic appraisal. I can't draw to save my life."
Smiling slightly, Ellone held out a worn looking folder, which Asuka took and opened near to the Quad entrance, out of the breeze."
"I'm glad you didn't draw the Lunar Cry," Asuka observed, running her hand across one of the drawings, "Just seeing that occurring from Deling City was terrifying enough for me. I doubt I would survive being caught in the landing point."
"These are good," She commented after flipping through a few more, "Maybe you should frame them?"
"I don't know. Perhaps."
"Who are these people?"
"I don't know, but they keep appearing. She," Ellone pointed to a girl clad in a skin tight vest and shorts that had frills around the bottom of the leg holes, "Was in the Lunar Cry dream, along with her."
This time the drawing looked like a young woman with short hair and dark clothes, including high heeled boots.
"And as for him, he was on a pier, gazing out to something at sea."
'Him' was a tall man wearing a long coat, and carrying a large sword which seemed to match his height
"I don't know how any of it is connected, but these people keep appearing."
Asuka turned to the final page, which contained a group of five people: five women and two men.
"Odd sense of fashion and those two have really odd hairstyles."
"Don't blame me," Ellone scowled, "That's how they looked in the dreams."
"Sorry Ellone, but I don't know what these dreams might be trying to tell you, unless you will see these people one day?"
Attention all Garden personnel, curfew will commence in 20 minutes. Repeat: curfew will commence in 10 minutes. Thank you.
"Are you staying in Garden overnight?" Asuka queried after the tannoy announcement.
"If Squall doesn't mind, yes. Tell me Asuka, have you ever considered living outside of the Garden?"
"Once or twice, why?"
"There is an apartment building in the city close to where I live. They look to be of good build and decent prices. I'm sure you could afford one."
"Thanks Ellone, I'll keep it in mind. I get there feeling that a great change is coming though, which I may not survive."
"And what gives you this feeling?"
"I don't know. But, given the public opinion about your sister-in-law, I think she might be a factor."
"I hope you're wrong." Ellone sadly commented before excusing herself. Asuka then went to her dorm, pondering Ellone's mention of apartments in Balamb City.
Maybe I'll consider it, if I'm still alive at the end of the year.
Ellone had gone into one of the spare dorms near to her brother's one, and had just about enough time to change into some sleeping clothes before collapsing onto the bed. Sadly, sleep wasn't going to be a restful thing for her that night.
An enormous monster that resembled a warped version of a whale was floating in the sky ahead of a strangely designed airship, one that was very manoeuvrable, and seemed to have a rotating wheel at the back, similar to the one that moved below Balamb Garden when it was mobile. A large purple ball of energy, crisscrossed with lines of purple and white fire, formed in front of the "mouth" of this monster. The ball seemed to work as a giant gravity type magic spell, but it sucked in everything that was in its vicinity. Sea water, cloud vapours, sea life, soil from the nearby coastline. The only thing that seemed to be immune was the unusual airship.
The energy ball expanded until it several times its original diameter, and then shot out from the monster in six different directions, flying for miles before finally dispersing. In its wake, there was a huge circular gap in whatever had been in its path. Again, the clouds, the ocean, the ground, all were ripped open by the massive raw power of the energy ball.
The ocean and ground seemed to have frozen, with a semi-circular trench cut into them…for a few seconds before gravity reasserted itself, and the sides of the water trench collapsed back into itself, starting from close to where the monster was still floating. Medium level floods and earthquakes occurred as nature took control of its elements again. The houses close to the coastline were instantly consumed by the raging water, along with nearly a dozen people close by.
The huge monster still floated there, blatantly defying the planet that it had just harmed.
What the hell was that? Ellone thought as she jolted awake, and rolling onto her back to allow her overworked lungs to deal with the increased heart rate and panic that she was feeling as a result of that nightmare.
"I'm worried Squall," Rinoa confided in her husband around the same time as Ellone was trying to sleep, "These powers seem to be getting stronger no matter what we try. I'm not sure this will work for very long. I'm thinking of seeing if Odine himself can help."
"No!" Squall was adamant on this, "We know how uncaring he is towards human 'research subjects'."
"We have to do something," She replied in a similar tone, "I have the powers of three Sorceresses combined within me, and one of them doesn't even exist yet. I'm not too surprised that they are getting stronger as time passes."
He looked up from the table, almost reluctant to meet her eyes.
"Besides Odine, I'm willing to consider any suggestions."
"Hermit lifestyle?"
"I don't think Fallback is required yet." Squall replied with a slight smile.
"I mentioned it to Miss Ikari earlier; I wonder if she will support us as Miss Paige has?"
"We will see. Quistis tells me that between the supplies on the boat, thanks to Matron, and the ones at the Fallback site, we'll have enough to last for nearly a year. After that, we'll have a problem."
"I still hope Fallback isn't needed."
Squall was silent for a moment, before he revealed something that he had arranged earlier in the day:
"If we do need to use it, I know that Garden will be safe once we're gone. I've arranged for all Gardens to have sanctuary in Esthar, as long as we are not onboard."
"That's nice, but why are you sugar-coating it Squall? You never used to."
"Where you go, I go. That is part of the Knight's Oath, remember? I think the rest of the gang would go with us as well."
